Method of and means for propelling ships



March 4, 1930. F. w. GAY

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS Filed June 5. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 9 @7/ ATTORNEYS March 4, l 930.

F. w. GA Y METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS Filed June 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Ill/III Patented Mar. 4, 193dv PAT ENT: OFFICE VFRAZERLIW, GAY, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY mirnonor 4m lvi naus ron rnornmme snrrs I Application filed Junej5,'1928. Serial No. 282,920.

g This invention relates; in general to a I method of andmeansfor propelling ships.

,It is a recognized fact thatthe -greatest: re.--

V sistance' to be overcome in" propelling high 1 speed ships, is the water at thepoint where the ship-takes entrance, that: is at the bow; in other words a large'amount of power is I necessary to displace or push aside the water so that the ship may move, whichproduces what is known as the; bow Wave; Ordinarily;

- thispower is .now provided by the thrust of the propeller at the stern of the ship, and the 1 indicatedpower in the engine room required.

for the purpose is:approximatelytwice that j actually exerted at the bow, the difference w being lost in the prime mover or. engine, its

- thereby reduce or eliminate theresistance v electrical or mechanical transmission gearing and inthe' propellers; r a Oneobject of my invention is to provide a #novel'and improved method and means for displacing the waterPat the ships bow and now caused by the bow wave.

{Another objectis to cause such displace,-

ment of water at the bow byi exertinganaux- '1l1a'ry orextraneous force on the waterin" advance of the bow to force thewater clownwardly and laterally away fromthe ship. .A furtherobject is to provide a novel and "improved method and means for exerting force on'the water adjacent the exit surfaces of theship to create pressure waves'or ahydrostatichead which acting upon said exit surfaces will push the ship forwardly; i Q Other objects are toprovidesuch' a method andmeans wherein an explosive charge is uti- I lized to displace thewater, saidcharge being exploded betweena certain specialportion of theships'hull the water to be displaced ;f to provide novel and improved means on a ships hullto form conjointly with the water I an explosion chamber for the explosive charge, and to obtain other advantages'and results'as will be more fully brought out the following description; l

I ure 1.

; In the accompanying drawings I have sche 'matically illustrated one manner and means Figures 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9,10, 11,12, and 13 are transverse vertical sectional views taken on the respective lines '33, 4-4, 5 5, 6-6, t ne-8,942, 10- 10, 11 11,-12-12 and 13 -13of Figure 1. I 'Figure 14 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 1414 of Figure 1.

Figure 15 is asimilar view t'aken on the line 15-15 of Figure 1.

I view taken'on'the line 15*15 of Figure 1. a

. Figure 17 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional ofjFigure 15, I p

rFigu're 18 is an enlarged fragmentarytransverse vertical sectional view taken on view'taken on the line 17-17 th'e; l ine18,118 of Figure 16, and a 4 F gure 19 is a'view similar to Figure 2 show ng a modified form of the invention.

' I Specifically describing the illustrated em- I bodiment of the invention, the reference chararter- A designatesthe hull of the ship which includes the deck B; sides C and bottom D, The hull has a pointed how 1' with a fiat horizontal bottom 2 which" extends a short di tance below the normal water level E, for example six'fe'et; The rear end of said flat bottomQofthe bow mergesat 3'into a downward'ly and rearwardly inclined portion 4' Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary ver- Y tical-longitudinal sectional which extends to the full depth of the ship and merges at 5 into the main bottom 6. The

portion 4 thus simulates the bow portion of the known socalled sea-sled type of boat. A

longitudinal median fin 7 depends from the horizontal bottom 2 of the bow portion 1, the forward end of said fin being in substantially ux'tapOsition to the juncture points of the pointed sides of the bow with the sides C of the hull. This fin extends rearwardly and gradually merges into the inclined portion 4 and the main bottom 6 of the hull.

Secured to. the underside of the horizontal,

bottom 2 of the bow portion 1 are a plurality,

of projections or vanes 70 which are substans tially parallel with each other and extend longitudinally of the hullparallel. with. its longii tudinal median line. As shown, the forward ends of the vanes 7 0 are in transverse. aligns: ment with the forward end of the fin 7, but the rear ends of the vanes terminate short of the inclined entrance surfaces 1 asindicated at 7-1. The sides of the hull oppositethe vanes 70depend below the horizontal bottom 21 parallel with said vanes as indicated atf72, said sides extending downwardly into the. water a somewhat greater distance than the vanes 70. In accordance with the invention explosive charges are supplied to and exploded in ,tween the sides 72 and the fin 7 and thenext the spaces between adjacent vanes 7 0.and beadjacent vanes; and these spacesj8thusser've 1n effect as exploslon chambers, one side, 1. e.,

the bottom, and both ends of which are closed by or constitute the water.

, Any suitable means may is supplying. the explosive charges. to. and explosion chambers 8, and any suitable explo sive charge may be utilized, For theipur' pose of explaining the principles of: my invention, however, I have schematically shown one such means which comprises an a1r, come..-

pressor 10 driven by suitable motor 11, and

supplying air through a pipe 12- and. a rotary. .valve 13 to aplurality of pipes 14, 15, 16 and 17 which; extend longitudinally forward through the bow portion 1 as indicated in Figures 16 and 17 of the drawings. The valve 1 3.may be of anysuitable construction, for example, two discs revolving in opposite directions and having a plurality of'openings adaptedto successivelyregister indifferent positions and successive y distribute the air to the respective ducts or passages 14:, 15, 16 and 17 These ducts lead forwardly and each one supplies air to corresponding chambers 8 at opposite sides of thefin 4;,the

duct-s having the respective branch passagesv 1 each terminate above one OfiiillQ'fiXPlOSlOIl ch mbers '8 i a distributing.a teec amber' be utilizedfor;

230having outlets 2Q controlled by outward ly opening poppet valves 23 r the like leading into the forward end of the respective explosion chamber. At: the top. of each chamber 8 is arranged acarbu'retor 25, which mixes gasoline, gas, oil or other suitable fuel with the air supplied through the outlets 22.

The fuel may be supplied to thecarburetor i in any suitable manner. I

The explosion mlxture 1s exploded at approximately the longitudinal center of each chamber 8 by any suitable means, for example, a metal ring 26 arranged the web and having a portion thereof protruding into the corresponding chamber and, thinner than the other portions of the ring, said ring 'hav- ,7

ing an -electric currentinduced therein by a (501127 wound upon a magnetic core 28. The

thinned portion of the ring produces a high electrical resistance so that the current heats said ring to incandescence.

In operation of'the invention, the air is:

supplied at the forward end: of. each of the explosion chambers 8 from the compressor 10 and throughtthe ducts 14, 15, 16and17 and outletopenings 22-,thepoppet valves 23 opening under the air pressure. The air thus supi-v plied isaca'rbureted' with fuel by thecarburetor 25 and forms a small: bubble "as shown atfSO in Figure-14c. Forward movement-of the ship' relative to said bubble brings -..the incandese cent portion of theignitingring2.6.into contact with the explosive mixture "inthebubble.

as shown in Figure 15, whereupon. said mix; ture 1s exploded. and expands as shown. at-31- in Figure 5. This expansion forces the. water 7 I downwardly and outwardly ofthe explosion-x chamber and consequentlyina lateral di.-.

rection to the sides 'of the hull, as indicated: by

arrows in Figures 57and '6. of the: drawings, WhlCh show the expansion of the explos on.

gases at two different stages. This causes at a displacement of the; water immediately pres:

ceding the entrance surfacetof theship so that a trough is formedin which said entrance surface takes entrance as shown. at 4:2 in Figure 14. On the sidesC of the. hull the water is piled up dueto the lateral displacement thereof, as indicated at 33 in Figures. 2 and j 1 15 5 to 8 inclusive, but as these sides are ina very tical plane this waterproduces no resistance. to the forwardtravel of the hull-except such as, is due to skin. friction, The Waterlevel rises and at the same time.itsvelocityauiay from the boy approaches zero yin-Figure Tof the drawmgs the water level is shown at the .33 at the sidesof the hull as it; leaves. the sides.

or entrance surfaces of the, bow" gradually 12o 8 point. where the, entrance o fthe ship haste. V

a. large extent been taken, while Figure8' shows the waterlevel at'thc point-of come plete entrance of the bow. At. this point the static head of the water at. the sides ofthe ship is at a maximum and the water has en;

tirely lost its velocity away from the hull;

i Ii-fitvillhe, observed that the bow portion 1 extends such" a distance below the. normal,

waterlevelf'that the resistance by the bow wavebn 't'he entrance surfaces 100 of said bowportion will b'e'ir'elatively slight.

Preferably the explosive mixture is admitted to the various chambers 8 at different ti'm {this being controlled by the valve 13,

Forfexainple, at themoment a bubble is exk '10* plode'di one ehamber, a bubble inithe next adjacentchambermay be nearing the limit of'its' expansiomiwhile in the next adjacent chamber" on theLotherside, a bubble of ex plosive mixture may be'foriningl is of course necessary' that the vanes 70 extend siitliciently deep to prevent the expanded e x- I plo'sion gases in one ChitlliblflOHi escapeinto adjacent "chambers, but said explosion gases willescape at the rear ends of t'hefvanes. The shallo'w b'ow portion 1 may serveto car- 7 ry a part'of the cargo which may reinforce I the bow portion under theimpacts of explosions.

Entrance of the hull maybe taken in two stagesinstea'd of, in one stage as above scribed. One mannerof accomplishing thlS is illustrated in Figure 190i the drawings I where the ship is provided with two entrance I surfaces 37 and 38 in spaced relation loiigitudiiially of the hull and; connected by a herizontalibottom portion 39 corresponding" to ithebottomportion 2; The longitudinal median fin I be 7 extended rearwardly' ondj series of vanes 4l substantially identween these vanesin the same manner as the ti'cal withithef vanesf'm and air'and fuel' may" be"; supplied to the, explosion chambers; be

I explosive mixture i's supplied to theexplosion chambers 8 and preferably by connect} ing branch pipes to the pipes 14,15, 16 and 17 corresponding to the branch ducts 18,19, 20

- and'21 above described. With this'form of,

the invention the-explosions in the'explosion chambers 8' fo ree the water downwardly and outof'the path of'the entrance surface laterally tawa'yfifr'om theentrance surface 37 7 before described, and explosions i in the chambers between the vanes 41 force the "v This form of the invention is particuadvantageous in' rough' seas, where it is because of beingraised out of the water by "wavemotionj. 69 I f a'y be e the horizont'albottomtportion 2 to the horizontalbottom portion 39 and merges into 7 Thain bottom of the ship at'the rear end ofthe' second entrance' surface. On th'ehor' izontalbottom portion39 areprovided a secdesirable in some instances to I impart energy. to the water in advance of theistern or exit surfaces43 of the hull so as y to exert afpropelling force on said exit surfa c'fiq For this purpose thehull may be pro vided with" two vertical Walls 34 one at each her as by the horizontal webs 35. Below the normal level of the water andsecured to the inner sides'of said walls 34 are a plurality of downwardly inclined vanes 36 which with the respective Wall 34 and the surrounding water form explosion chambers similar to the chambers 8 An explosive mixture is supplied to and exploded in said chambers in any suitable manner and-the result of the explosion drives the water between the walls 34 and the sides of the hull toward the hull and upwardly and downwardly in the direction of the arrows in Figuresj9 and 10, which raises the water level or produces a pressure wave in advance of the exit surfaces 43. The force thus exerted on the water is imparted to the exit surfaces 43 so that the hull is waterat the bow of the ship and the raising "l of the level of thewater at the sternof the ship providing a sullicient difference in hydrostatic pressure at the bow and stem to. cause forward movement ofthe ship.

This application is related to my oo-pending. application, Serial N 0. 269,688, filed April 13,1928, wherein claims for reducing the hydrostatic pressure at the bow of the ship are included.

"Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim is:

1. The method of propelling ships consisting in displacingthe water in advance of the entrancesurfaces of a ships hull by explodingan explosive mixturebeneath the surface ofthe water so that expansion of the ex5 plosion gasessots the water inmotion1downwardly and laterally away from the entrance portions'of the hull, and: applying 'a propelling force to the, hull.

'2; The methodfof propelling. ship s consist" ing in displacing the water in advance of the entrance'surfaces of a ships hull by confining 'an explosive'mixture below the surface of'the water in advance of 'the bow of the ship against movement in all directions except downwardly, exploding said mixture so that the expansion of the explosion gases displaces the water downwardly and laterally awayfrom the entrance surfaces of theship', and applying a propelling force ,to the hull.

, 3 The method of propelling ship s" consist ingindisplacinglthe w'a'ter'in advance ofthe entrance surfaces "of'a shipshull by explodingan explosive mixture beneath the surloo face of the watensothatexpansion ofthe explosion gases setsft'lie water in motion downwardly and laterally away from the entrance portions of the hull, and exploding an explosive mixturebeneath the surface, of the water in'advance of the exit surfaces ofthe hull and directing the explosion gases down-f wardlyand toward said exist'surfaces to'create a "pressure wave and increasethe normal hydrostatic pressure ,upon' said exit surfaces which exerts a forwardly propelling, influ ence on the'hull. V v

H 4. The method of propelling ships consisting in reducing the normal hydrostatic pres sureat the bow of theship, and exploding an:

- hydrostatic pressureupon said exit surfaces which exerts a forwardly propelling influence on the hull.

. '5. A ships hull having means at its bow ahead of'the entrance surfaces for receiving and confining an explosive mixture beneath the surface of the water and against move-f, 'ment inany direction except downwardly,

and means for exploding said mixture so that the expansion of explosion gases forces the water downwardly and. outwardly away froms aid entrance: surfaces. p

6. A shipls hull having an explosion chamber at its bow ahead'of the entrance surfaces closed at its bottom by thewater; means for supplying an explosive mixture, under pres sure to said'chamber, and meansfor igniting sald explosive mlxture so. that the expans on of the explosion gases forces the water clownwardly and outwardly away from sa d entrance surfaces.

tudinally extending explosion chamber at its bow ahead of the entrance surfaces and closed atits bottom bythe water, means for supplying an explosive mixture under pressure to the forwardend ofsaid chamber, and means for igniting said explosive mixture arranged in said chamber intermediate its ends, so that a bubble of explosive mixture is formed at the forward end and said igniting means is movedjforwardly upon movement of-the ship into said bubble to explode said mixture and the explosion gasesexpand at the rear portion of s'aidchamber to force the water down wardly and outwardly away from said entrance surfaces.

i 8. ,A shipshull havinga plurality of longitudinally extending explosion chambers at .its bow ahead of theentrance surfaces of the hull and equallydistributed upon opposite sides oflthe longitudinal median line of said hull, thewater serving asthe bottom walls'of said chambers 'means for [supplying explosive.

mixture under pressure successively, to said chambers means arrangedinterinediate the ends of ea'chchamber for igniting theexplo-v jsive mixture therein so that a bubble of explosivemixture is formed at the forward end;

and means for igniting said explosive mix ture arranged in said chamber intermediate its ends, so that a bubble of explosive mixture. is formed at the forward end and said igniting means is-movedforwardly upon movement of the ship into said bubble to explode said mixture and the explosion gases expand, a at the rear portion of said chamber to force I the water downwardly and outwardly away from said entrance surfaces, said explosion gases escaping into the "atmosphere at the rear endof said explosion chamber. l

10-. A ships hull having a substantially vertical wall in spaced and parallel relation to each side'thereof depending into thewater in advance of the exit portions ofthe hull, and means for exploding an explosive mix;

ture beneath the surface ofthe water between a i said walls and the sides of the hull to produce;

pressure waves and increase the normal hydrostatic pressure upon the exit portions of:

the hull. r

11. A shiplswhull having a. plurality of exlplosionchambers in spacedrelation to the, I i sides of the hull beneath the surface of the .7 7 Apshipshull having an elongated-long1- water in advance of the exit portions of the hull, said chambers having their bottoms ,12. Aships hull ,having a substantially vertical wall in spaced and parallel relation to each sidethereof depending into thelwater in advance of the exit portions fof the hull, 1 said-walls eachhavinga plurality of:explosion chambers thereonfbeneath the surface of the'water whose bottoms are closed loy'the;

water, and means for exploding an explosive mixture insaid' chambers to produce pressure I waves and increase thefnormal hydrostatic create pressure waves and increase the normal ressure upon the exit portions pressure on the exit portions of the-hull.

13. A ships hull havingentrance surfaces and a horizontal memberlextending forward-V:

ly from said entrance surfaces below thelevel V of thewater, a pluralityof elongated explosion chambers on the underside'of said memw berandextending parallel: to the longitudinal median line of the ship closed at bothlends I and bottomsbythe Water, said chambers being equally distributed at opposite sides of said median line, means for supplying an explosive mixture under pressure to the for ward portions of said chambers, and means arranged intermediate the ends of each chambar for igniting said explosive mixture so that I the explosion gases expand in the rear portions of said chambers and force the Water downwardly and outwardly away from the entrance surfaces of the hull.

' FRAZER W. GAY. I 

